


is that tinsel in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

by weddingbells



Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Christmas, Crushes, M/M, Mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 19:03:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5939757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weddingbells/pseuds/weddingbells
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“We would love help,” he repeats and gives Louis a smile. “But I don’t think I’ve seen you around at our events before. I am pretty sure I would have remembered.”</i>
</p><p>When his best friend is all busy with his new boyfriend, Louis needs to find new things to do, because feeling alone is just the worst. And Louis finds Nick.</p>
            </blockquote>





	is that tinsel in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TomlinshawPending](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TomlinshawPending/gifts).



> I got this prompt for the Tomlinshaw winter exchange that sadly never happened and I decided to write it anyway because I like it. I hope you can find some enjoyment from it and we can never get too much Tomlinshaw anyway :)

”Joy to the world! Joy to us!” Louis shouts/sings as he jumps up in Liam’s bed to wake up his sleeping way too long roommate. “It’s December, we can party, we can eat, we can…”

It takes him a bit too long to realise that Liam is not alone in the bed. Nor is he dressed. And Louis stops shouting/singing to instead let out a loud scream as he falls out of the bed in horror of what he just noticed.

Liam sits up, startled and covering himself with the blankets as the curly hair belonging to Harry Styles shows up just soon after.

“Liam, Christ!” Louis says, covering his eyes with his hands. “What the fuck!”

“I told you I had company,” Liam says dumbfounded, glancing over at Harry as his cheeks redden. Louis, peeking through his fingers, notice that the redder Liam goes, the _smugger_ Harry looks. Damn, Louis really had pegged the lad as an exhibitionist and clearly he wasn’t very wrong. Louis is almost starting to think he planned this.

“No,” Louis says because really, he remembers this. “You said you had company three days ago. I know that because I had to go out drinking by myself, find a bird by myself, and as I took her back home you were out and you stayed out for… until last night actually.”

Louis frowns, realising just how much he doesn’t like the fact that Liam is being _this_ busy with his boy. Liam just keeps that dumb grin on his face, and Louis knows it’s all too well.

“God,” he says, making an expression as if you have just seen something gross which really, he kind of has. If he get any more visual on Liam and Harry’s dicks touching… “You’re being all in love and shit. Gross, Payne. Gross.”

“I’m not in love!” Liam protests, and Harry throws a fit of giggles as he hides under the blankets now, leaving Liam blanket less and Louis covers his eyes again, not wanting more of Liam’s dick. “I… Harry!”

Louis hears Liam grunt and then the sound of him going to the closet to find sweatpants, and when Louis looks again, Liam is thankfully at least wearing clothes. It’s those pair of sweats that are a bit too big though, riding low on his hips showing of pubic hair but at least Louis is not getting a front seat view of Liam’s morning wood.

“Can I talk to you?” Liam grunts, grabbing Louis’ arm. “Outside?”

Louis has no idea why Liam is suddenly acting as if it’s Louis who needs scolding here. Louis did nothing wrong. Louis wasn’t the one letting Liam find him naked in bed with someone.

“What?” Louis asks as Liam closes the door to his room and glares at Louis. “What?!”

“I haven’t even told _Harry_ that I am in love with him!” Liam says, and he looks angry. “You can’t go around saying that, Louis.”

Louis rolls his eyes.

“Please. As if you are discrete. Unless that boy is blind and dumb he already knows. Anyway, I don’t deserve a lecture, what about you, huh? You promised that today we would go to that Christmas fair in town and well, they open soon and you know I want to be there early. So why are you still in bed with him, huh?”

He glares back at Liam, and suddenly Liam’s face changes into a face of guilt and oh no, Louis knows this face too. It’s Liam’s face when he has forgotten they had plans. Something that has happened a lot lately. Since he met Harry.

“Was that today?” Liam asks weakly. “Shit… Louis, I forgot…”

Louis looks away. He tries not to be disappointed but he is. He and Liam had plans for this since forever, really, and since Zayn left university to go on his year of finding himself or what yoga shit he said it was, it’s not like Louis can randomly find someone else to go with.

“Well, now I told you, so now we can go right?” Louis says, even if he knows that if Liam makes that face, he has probably already made some other plans. “Get dressed and let’s go, Payne.”

Liam looks down.

“I… shit, Louis, I’m so fucking sorry. I can’t,” he mumbles softly. “I’m uh, I kind of… Harry’s sister is coming by, and I promised Harry I would meet with them for lunch and show her around…”

Louis sighs.

“It’s fine. Really.”

“Are you sure?” Liam asks and no, Louis wants to scream. It’s not fucking fine, and if this had been Liam months ago he would know it wasn’t. He would be able to see it on Louis’ face.

“Of course it is,” Louis lies instead, and Liam looks relieved.

“Thank you, I really didn’t want to cancel. We’ll hang out later okay? I promise.”

Liam gives Louis a quick hug, a quick hug even, before he hurries back into the bedroom as if Harry couldn’t possibly handle being ten minutes on his own.

Louis flips the door off, because maturity has never been his thing.

 

\--

 

Liam cancels on Louis the upcoming days as well and Louis has never really known what to do with this much time on his hands. He almost finds himself studying extra, which is when he realises that nope, this can’t happen. He needs to find something else to do. And if his best friend is going to keep blowing him off to blow his boyfriend, well then Louis needs to do this by himself.

Louis is wandering mindlessly through the corridors, listening to this Spotify playlist of upbeat Christmas songs when he hears voices coming from the recording room for the campus radio station. Now usually, Louis is never around here, but usually Louis is also not alone, and therefor now when he is alone and feeling as if the whole world has cancelled on him, he decides to see if maybe there is someone there he can just talk to.

The closer he gets, the more he hears what seems like total chaos with people laughing and chatting and it sounds just like Christmas at home. There is a sign up by the door saying **‘HELP NEEDED FOR CHRISTMAS PARTY’** with big red and green letters, and well, Louis is always up for a party.

It makes him feel both happy and a bit homesick, when he peeks through the door opening and notice a tall man with typical too expensive boots currently being covered in tinsel and other glitter ornaments. The view is ridiculous and Louis needs to laugh, to which point apparently everyone notice him and look up.

At first it’s awkward, and Louis wonders if really he is surpassing or something, when tinsel guy grins and takes a step forward.

“Hey!” the tall stranger says. He is covered in glitter, even more obvious up close, and Louis is not sure why, but as he reach out his hand for Louis to shake, Louis shakes it with a little smile. “I’m Nick. Fifi, the girl over there with the other ornaments, wants us to try a few things before the party next week. I got glitter duty. Who are you?”

Louis can’t help it, he feels his smile widen. Nick’s voice is nice, he speaks with an accent close to where Louis comes from. It makes him feel like home, again.

“I’m Louis,” he says, taking one strand of the glitter tinsel from Nick’s hair. “Do you need help with this? I saw the sign and well… I’m not having anything else to do.”

Nick’s grin widens.

“Well we always need help! Especially since Fifi dragged us into this which might be a bit over our heads to be fair.”

“I heard that!” Fifi says from inside a big box of ornaments she has dove into now. “We are not in over our heads. We can plan a Christmas party for next week. We can.”

Louis smirks. Her comment is extra funny now when she, literally, is in over her head. Nick snickers.

“We would love help,” he repeats and gives Louis a smile. “But I don’t think I’ve seen you around at our events before. I am pretty sure I would have remembered.”

Louis tries not to blush at that comment because it’s ridiculous, but the way Nick winks makes it obvious it was meant to be a flirty comment and well, Louis doesn’t normally go for guys (honestly Louis isn’t sure if he has _ever_ gone for a guy while being sober) but it’s nice to have attention after days of being deprived of it. He clears his throat.

“Uhm well no, I am usually not… around. I have been a lot with my friend but he got himself a boy and well, here’s me.”

“Ah, disgusting,” Nick says, and Louis feels so relieved.

“Thank you. That’s what I say. How dare he leave me behind?”

It’s a bit dramatic but Louis studies drama and he therefor thinks he has every right to be. Nick grins.

“Couldn’t agree more.”

Louis smiles, and suddenly they just stand there looking at each other and well this is awkward.

“Uhm, well if you needed help… when do you need me?” Louis asks, just to have something to say. Nick thinks about it.

“Well are you free tomorrow afternoon? I’m going to be one to look for the perfect kind of treats for the party and well, it’s not fun by myself. Could use an extra opinion.”

Louis quickly tries to remember his schedule but nope, he can’t remember that he had anything important to do so he nods instead.

“Yeah, of course. Wanna meet here?”

Nick nods with a grin.

“Seems great, 4?”

Louis nods. He can do 4. Nick pats his shoulder.

“See you tomorrow then, Louis. Now I will have to save Fifi from that box.”

It really does look like Fifi needs help and Louis laughs.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he nods, and Nick gives him a little wave before he leaves.

 

\--

 

Louis is ten minutes late and as he runs to the room where he met with Nick the day before, he is a bit worried that he might have already gone off without him.

Thankfully he hasn’t, and when Louis comes rushing in, Nick is there waiting for him with a little grin.

“There you are, thought you weren’t going to show up!” Nick jokes and Louis just laughs as he unzips his jacket.

“Nope, not getting rid of me that easily,” Louis hums, which only makes Nick’s grin widen.

“I wasn’t planning that at all, actually.”

Louis pretends he didn’t hear that and also that he isn’t blushing. He clears his throat instead.

“So uhm, what are we doing today?”

“Looking for treats,” Nick reminds him and pokes his side as if he thinks Louis is a bit dumb for not remembering. He does it in a fond way though, kind of the way Liam mess with him and Louis doesn’t mind it. “Or not really looking because I know where we are going, but you know, trying to decide which treats to get.”

“I am an expert where it comes to treats,” Louis brags and Nick arches an eyebrow.

“Well Mr. Expert, I’m lucky you chose to come with me then. Come on, we are going to Harry’s.”

Louis doesn’t think about the name.

 

They walk to the bakery off campus and it’s only when they step inside the door and Louis notice the familiar curly haired boy he has seen too much of, that he realises that Nick said they were going to meet Harry.

Wow, awkward.

Nick waves and smiles and Harry grins as he notices them and Louis blushes because he kind of don’t want Harry running off telling Liam about him hanging out with Nick.

Not yet, anyway.

“Hi Louis!” Harry says, and well, there goes the plan of maybe trying to act like nothing. Louis force a smile.

“Hi Harry!” to which Nick looks confused.

“You know each other?”

Harry nods quickly.

“Yeah, he’s my… you know, Liam’s friend.”

Louis rolls his eyes.

“You can say boyfriend, you know.”

Harry grins, looking very pleased with that before shrugging.

“Yeah, anyway, what do you guys want?”

“Treats!” Nick seems to have already bounced back from the first surprise of Harry and Louis knowing each other, and now he is back on track with the treat train. “We need your best treats and we need them now. And please no sexual jokes Styles because remember, we have new people with us today.”

He refers to Louis, obviously, and Louis needs to roll his eyes.

“Yes please, I see enough as it is back home,” he says and if Harry was bothered by that it doesn’t show, quite the opposite as he laughs, signalling for them to come with him.

“Well lads,” Harry says, rubbing his hands together as they walk up to boxes. “Hope you didn’t have a big lunch because we are going to try everything. Everything.”

“You’re one I can always count on,” Nick nods, waiting for Harry to open the first box.

“Louis, you seeing Liam tonight?” Harry asks as they go through the first box. It’s gingerbread everything, cupcakes and tiny cakes and Louis wants to eat all of them. He looks up as Harry asks that though, and shakes his head.

“No, not really.”

“Yeah, we are going to dinner,” Nick nudges Louis’ side and Louis blushes which he hates, because it makes Harry whistle.

“You are?”

“We are?” Louis hisses, but then again, he doesn’t complain. Nick just nods.

“Yes, we are. Now, Harold, what else you got?”

 

\--

 

Louis is actually sick of even thinking of eating after spending all that time with choosing treats for the party, but as Nick properly asks him out to go to dinner, he can’t really say no. especially not when Nick fires of a smile that makes him go strangely weak in the knees and worry about maybe falling over flat on his face.

“I know this great pasta place,” Nick says, as he leads Louis away from campus to streets Louis rarely walks down. “Way better than Vapiano or Pizza Express or any of those places. You are gonna love this.”

Louis nods.

“I hope so, I don’t want to be disappointed.”

“Do I seem like someone who will disappoint you?” Nick grins and no, Louis has to admit that he really doesn’t.

 

The place is quiet, but it looks nice and lovely, to the point where Louis wonders why it is this quiet. Nick seems to know the owner, and soon they are seated and ordered, Louis trying his best to not awkwardly get pasta sauce all himself when they eat.

“So it’s been all girlfriends for you then?” Nick asks after a bit of small talk, and Louis isn’t sure if Nick is trying to make it all casual and slip it into conversation, but it really doesn’t work. Louis smiles before he clears his throat.

“Well uhm, yeah you know. Mostly.”

Nick arches an eyebrow.

“Mostly?”

Louis isn’t sure why he feels so ashamed but he does. He doesn’t usually ever mention hook-ups with boys and here Nick is wanting to know things and it just makes him feel like he needs to blush. Or his body does anyway, because Louis can feel his cheeks redden.

“I mean maybe… after a few too many drinks… there might have been a… not-girl,” he says finally, hoping it isn’t very, very obvious how nervous he is. “But nothing… serious.”

It’s actually a bit of a stretch to call anyone of the girls he has been with serious as well, but he doesn’t want that to be seen either. For some reason, and Louis isn’t sure why, he doesn’t want Nick to think that he is a bed hopper and only after casual things.

“But there has been boys?” Nick asks, and then he starts laughing. “Sorry, I just don’t wanna start hitting on you and then find out you are only into girls, that’s always awkward.”

Louis blushes even harder at that, and his lips form a smile as he stares down at the table, playing with the napkin.

“I’m… uh…” he hesitates and then looks up at Nick through long eyelashes. “Yes, there has been boys. And no, I’m not only into girls.”

“Great,” Nick looks so very pleased to hear that, and for a moment Louis almost thinks he is going to ask something else or do something, but Nick just changes the subject.

“So will you get your friend to come to the party?”

Louis shrugs.

“I don’t know. I mean, Liam and Harry… they really only seem like they want to spend time with each other right now, or not with me anyway.” He knows that he is being bitter and ridiculous but he can’t help it, and anyway Nick doesn’t seem to mind.

“Oh I doubt that,” Nick says, and the smile he gives Louis is bigger than any smile Louis has ever seen before. “I mean, you’re quite the lovely company, babe. I have known you for two days and already figured that out.”

There is something about the way Nick calls him babe, and something with the way he looks at Louis, that makes Louis’ insides go absolutely insane. He is pretty sure there’s not butterflies in his stomach anymore, more like a fucking zoo, and he is not sure he likes it. His heart beat faster as he meets Nick’s eyes.

“Well uhm, you know,” he says quickly. “I… uh…”

Nick laughs, reaching over the table to nudge Louis’ arm.

“Calm down, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t,” Louis says quickly, because he really doesn’t want Nick to think that he is uncomfortable. “I’m just uh, not used to someone buying me dinner to try to charm me.”

Nick’s smile widens at that.

“Well,” he says, leaning back in his chair. “I am not like other guys.”

Louis smiles. That, he has already figured out.

 

\--

 

It’s late when he comes home, and Louis hadn’t realised how long he had stayed out just talking to Nick. It was nice.

“Hey,” Liam says, looking up at him from his laptop. “Where have you been?”

“Out,” Louis says, trying to not make it sound like anything other than what it is. “Where’s Harry? In bed? Undressed?”

Liam laughs, shaking his head.

“No, he’s not here tonight, I said I wanted to spend time with you but you know… you were out.”

Louis stares at Liam.

“You know it’s pretty stupid making plans with me without asking me,” he says with an amused smile, and Liam needs to smile too.

“Yeah well you know, just thought… where were you anyway?”

Louis shrugs.

“Just out. Had food. Wanna play Fifa?”

Liam looks as if maybe he wants to ask something more, and Louis hopes that he won’t. He walks over to the TV when Liam asks.

“Did you meet someone?”

Louis pretends he didn’t hear it.

 

\--

 

“It’s not normally used for parties,” Nick explains as he opens the door to the room he has lead Louis to, and tries to find the light switch. He finds it, but the sad excuse for a lamp doesn’t manage to shed much light to the big room. “But don’t you think it can be great?”

Louis takes a step inside. Of all the places and things Nick has shown him for the party lately, this must be the weirdest because apart from the place looking old, Louis can’t see the charm. He turns to Nick, arching an eyebrow.

“Are you… sure?”

“Oh come on,” Nick says, quickly taking a few steps so that he is closer to Louis, waving his hand as if he magically can make things appear. “You need to use your imagination. Think about a bar… and the treats… the DJ booth…”

Louis smiles, and he tries. He really tries. He is about to say something when he is interrupted.

“Look, mistletoe,” Nick says, pointing up to the ceiling and Louis’ eyebrow arches.

“That’s not mistletoe,” he points out with an amused smile. “That’s spider web. We should probably clean this place if you’re going to have a party here.”

“Shh,” Nick covers Louis’ mouth with his hand. His hand is so big it makes Louis a bit dizzy, and it’s warm against his lips. “Can you pretend for a moment?”

“Pretend what?” Louis’ voice is muffled by the hand, and his eyes shows the smile that can’t be seen. Nick grins. He pulls his hand away, but not before his thumb has traced Louis’ cheekbones, watching him closely as if he is seeing him for the first time.

“Like it’s mistletoe. So we have to kiss. Without me having to awkwardly ask if I can kiss you right now.”

Louis’ heart does a flip, and it beats faster, and also harder.

“But it’s not mistletoe,” he repeats, and Nick rolls his eyes, the amused smile dancing on his lips.

“I know.”

“So maybe you…”

“Louis,” Nick shuts him up again, but only with a finger on his lips. “May I kiss you? Please?”

Louis isn’t sure he even thinks before he nods.

Nick lets out a relieved sigh, and he pulls Louis closer. His hand runs through his hair, fingers stroking it behind his ear, and for someone so eager moments before, Louis wonders if he will ever get on with it. Nick watches him, both hands now firmly gripping Louis’ face and it’s the best sort of grip Louis has ever experienced and Nick keeps watching him, eyes wandering over his face as if he is still not done looking at him.

“Nick…” Louis whispers, and then Nick finally leans in. It’s soft, and sweet, and gentle. It’s trying, and Louis’ eyes flutter close as he tries to take it all in, the way Nick’s scent is different this close, sweet and warm, and safe, if a scent can be safe. Nick kisses like he acts, it’s over the top but not enough at the same time, as if Louis is getting too much but at the same time not nearly enough. Louis wants to jump forward, wants to melt into Nick even if it’s not possible, but the way their bodies line up as the kiss continues, Louis wonders, if he wish hard enough, that maybe it will happen just like that.

Louis is about to let his tongue dart over Nick’s lips, maybe proving that he wants more, but just as he does Nick pulls away. Slow, but he parts from Louis, and Louis lets out a pathetic whimper as the warmth and the safe space takes away from him.

“You’re right,” Nick whispers. His voice is hoarse. “We should probably clean this place.”

Louis nods. He doesn’t know what else to do.

“Uh-huh,” he agrees. He feels as if the world is spinning. Maybe it actually is. Either it’s him or it’s the world, Louis isn’t sure he wants to find out. “Uh… uh-huh.”

“I’ll… go see if Fifi…” Nick points to the other room with his thumb, as to explain even if he doesn’t finish. Louis nods.

“Yeah. Yeah. Good.”

 

\--

 

Louis and Liam has takeout dinner just the two of them, and Louis finds that it’s very difficult to balance chopsticks in one hand, holding a phone with his other and then try to not grin foolishly so that Liam will notice when Nick texts him.

He fails, because when he meets Liam’s eyes again, he can see that the question is coming.

“What’s her name?” Liam asks, eyes narrowing as he looks at Louis. “I’ve seen that face before. So what’s her name?”

Louis wants to _die_.

“What?” he asks, hoping he sounds innocent enough, and Liam rolls his eyes.

“The girl you’ve been seeing. Texting. What’s her name? I want to know.”

“There is no girl,” Louis says and well, that’s true. Liam’s eyes darken.

“You’re hiding things from me.”

“I’m not hiding things from you!”

“Yeah?” Liam asks, and Louis feels bad because well, he is. “Then what’s with all the staying out lately? Texting even if we are having dinner? Having a foolish lovestruck grin on your face? I’m not an idiot.”

Louis shouldn’t be mad, but part of him feels that Liam is taking things too far now.

“None of your business!” he hisses, and Liam loses it.

“I’m your fucking best friend, we tell each other about stuff like this!”

Louis lets out a laugh.

“Or we do, do we? Because that’s hm, funny, considering I knew nothing about you being serious with Harry before I found both of you seriously naked. That was fun. Wasn’t it? Where was the best friend telling me everything then, huh?” his voice is getting angrier and angrier, but also far more high pitched and he hates that it gets like that when he fights with Liam.

Liam looks taken aback though, and a redness spreads on his cheeks. Louis knows he is right.

“I… well…”

“Exactly,” Louis says, viciously stabbing his chicken with the chopsticks. Poor chicken. Thank god it’s already dead. “Shut the fuck up.”

“But why won’t you tell me about her?” Liam asks, and he really won’t let this go. “If you’re being this serious with a girl I want to… know, I want to meet her, it’s been ages since you…”

“There is no girl!” Louis slams his hand to the table so hard it actually hurts. “There is no girl. I’m not seeing a girl.”

“Then…”

“It’s a guy,” Louis says it without thinking, it just slips out. “I’m seeing a guy, and I like him, and it’s really scary as fuck and maybe I don’t want to fucking talk about it so maybe you can leave me be!”

He drops the chopsticks in the food, getting up from the table with such force the chair falls over, and runs to get his jacket. He is halfway out the door when a strong hand wraps around his wrist.

“Louis,” Liam says softly, and all the anger from moments ago is gone without a trace from his voice. “Louis.”

“Fuck off,” Louis tries to say but his voice is shaky and he isn’t sure why he wants to cry. “Fuck off.”

Liam pulls him closer, and somewhere when Louis’ face is pressed against his chest, he starts crying.

 

\--

 

“How long has it been going on?” Liam asks, and Louis looks into the cup of tea Liam made him. It’s his favourite, but he can’t seem to drink any. He isn’t sure why he is acting like this anyway, still feels like a fool for crying.

“Few weeks. Met him when I saw the sign for needing help with the party, I…” he pauses, shaking his head. “It’s Harry’s friend. Nick. Not sure if you know about him.”

Liam’s jaw drops.

“Hold on, you’re seeing Grimmy? Really?”

“I’m not…” Louis looks up, shaking his head. “I’m not seeing Grimmy. We’ve had fun and we kissed and now I clearly went and got a crush and he will probably think it’s really ridiculous.” Louis sighs, stirring the tea with his spoon. “He is way more experienced than I am, I’ve never really done the whole dating thing at all. Much less with a guy.”

“Oh come on,” Liam wraps an arm around his shoulders, squeezing it lightly. “You can’t say that. So you haven’t had tons of boyfriends, or girlfriends. I hadn’t either, but me and Harry are doing okay, aren’t we? You just have to tell him how you feel.”

Louis shakes his head so fast he worries his head might fall off.

“I can’t tell him, Liam.”

“Why not?”

“Because!” Louis says, and he isn’t even sure if he’s got a good reason not to. “I mean he probably doesn’t feel anything for me.”

Liam chuckles.

“Yeah because he wants to see you all the time, kiss you and text you because he doesn’t like you that much. Yeah I see it, it makes lots of sense.”

“Shut up,” Louis playfully slaps his arm, but there is a swelling in his chest with Liam’s words, and a hope that maybe his friend is right. “Do you think…”

“Yes.” Liam sounds like he looks, a bit annoyed but very fond with his friend. “The party is tomorrow, right? Maybe you can tell him then. It’s always good to do things like this at a party.”

Louis arches an eyebrow.

“Public humiliation?”

Liam pushes him over.

“Shut up, idiot. It won’t happen. Now drink your tea and then we will talk about the importance of using condoms.”

 

 

\--

 

The room really does look so much better than Louis could have hoped for. He arrives as it starts filling up with people, and everything is beautiful with colours and music and tinsel, and Louis slips away from Harry and Liam to see if he can find Nick. He finds him, close to the DJ booth and Louis feels his cheeks heating up because wow, he does look good.

He always looks god, but it’s extra good tonight.

He looks up and notice Louis, as does Fiona who whispers something to Nick that has him smiling, and then he nods. Louis feels his mouth go dry, and he isn’t sure why he is so nervous.

“Hey,” Nick says as he makes his way over. “You came.”

“I… why wouldn’t I?” Louis asks, and he can’t help but laugh. “Think I just wanted the work and not the party?”

“Well…” Nick says, and he moves a little closer. “A little bird whispered in my ear that you had a little bit of a freakout.”

Louis’ eyes go dark.

“Did Liam really… I’m killing him, that’s it, I’m killing him.”

“No, no,” Nick laughs, grabbing Louis’ arm. “Don’t go kill him, it’s not very good this close to Christmas right?”

Louis stays, but he also keeps quiet. He feels really embarrassed by the whole thing. Nick seems to be able to tell, because he pulls him closer.

“Why did you?” he asks quietly. “I mean, why did you feel the need to be afraid of what I would do? Do I seem… scary?”

Louis blushes. Conversations like this is probably why he has never taken things further with people before.

“I don’t know,” he shrugs, trying to look casual. “I just wasn’t sure if… you know…”

Nick rolls his eyes, as if Louis is being impossible, and maybe he is.

“What?” Louis asks, and then he is pulled even closer.

“Do you know what I want for Christmas?” Nick whispers, and Louis’ heart beats faster as Nick’s hand slips into his.

“No.”

“A date,” Nick’s mouth is close to his ear now, so it’s really only Louis who can hear him. “I want you to go out with me. On a date. For real.”

Louis’ heart does a 360 flip with a spin and he feels dizzy.

“Me?” he asks, because he really can’t believe it. Nick nods.

“I do. Quite like you, Tomlinson. So you know, if you still want to, after the holidays… I would like to take you out to dinner. See where this leads to. If you are as much boyfriend material that I like to think that you are.”

Louis blushes and he looks away, but he can’t hide the big smile. Nick seems to notice that too.

“Think I will get my wish?” he asks, and Louis turns to face him before he nods.

“Yes, yes I think so.”

Nick grins.

“Good. Can I kiss you now, because you know, to keep you interested until we see each other again?”

Louis nods once more, and Nick’s lips finds his so easily.

He is pretty sure he hears Liam and Harry cheering in the background somewhere, but he really doesn’t focus on anything else.

**Author's Note:**

> babygotstyles @ tumblr and twitter


End file.
